1st Mid-Week Advent Service (12/6/06)
by Rev. Frederick A. Stiemke
Sir, we would see JESUS! 
Emmanuel, Asheville, NC

Luke 1: 5-17
IN THE NAME OF JESUS!

In the name of our Advent King and Savior, Jesus Christ, dearly beloved:

The season of Advent calls us to take a journey ?± as it were in God??s ?¨Time Machine.?Æ We are already here at the present time, and God is with us. But our Lord is also calling upon us in Advent to look back at His great saving acts in the past, as well as looking forward to all our loving Savior has in store for those who trust Him as Savior and Lord in the future. Tonight our heavenly Father takes us in spirit to the great city of Jerusalem, where so often chief events in the Lord??s salvation history have taken place. 

Today??s journey begins in a valley ?± the valley of Kidron. To one side is the Mount of Olives. Ahead of us is the winding path that wends its way up Mount Zion, on top of which sits the temple erected by King Herod.

On this very path Melchizedeck, the king-priest of almighty God, centuries ago greeted Abraham, returning victoriously after Abraham defeated his enemies in battle. This king-priest led Abraham into the city to partake of a festive meal, and to Melchizedeck Abraham brought his tithe in thanksgiving. King David trod upon these very stones when he captured this key city of the Jebusites and thereafter moved his capital here from Hebron. Along this path in religious fervor King David danced before the Ark of the Covenant when the city of the king became the City of the Lord Jehovah. Along this route came the Queen of Sheba to visit King Solomon and to witness his extraordinary God-given wisdom. On this very path the Babylonians forced those Jewish folks spared in the conquest of Judah and Jerusalem to march out as slaves to begin 70 painful years of exile and captivity. On this same road the exiles returned from captivity sad in heart, weeping bitter tears at seeing the utter destruction of their beloved temple on Mount Zion.

Three different times in ancient history quarried stone, jewels and gold, and tall cedars of Lebanon were transported along this path initially to build and then twice to replace the great Temple of the living God on the crest of Mt. Zion ?± first under Solomon, once by Nehemiah and his cohorts after the Captivity, and years later begun by King Herod. The latter took almost 91 years to complete that work, only to be destroyed forever in 70 AD ?± just 7 years after its completion. On the altar within this temple, myriads of animals had been sacrificed to foreshadow the one all-sufficient sacrifice that Jesus, the Lamb of God, would make for the sins of one and all on a much simpler altar ?± two crossed beams of wood ?± outside the city wall.

More importantly, here Simeon, to whom it had been revealed that he would not die until he saw the promised Savior, held that precious infant in his arms and sang his great song, ?¨Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace.?Æ It was in that temple that a 12-year-old Jesus stood, amazing the religious leaders and teachers with His spiritual wisdom and knowledge of the Scriptures. From this temple Jesus had driven the money changers and sellers of sacrificial animals and birds, who had dishonored that sacred ground by doing business there. It was toward this temple that Jesus rode on that first Palm Sunday. And it was here in the Colonnade that the first Christians heard Peter, James and John proclaim that the crucified, but now risen Jesus is mankind??s only hope of eternal salvation.

In the midst of all those memorable historical events, today??s Gospel reading tells of an event witnessed by very few, but nevertheless it is extremely important. There we are led to observe an aging priest, Zechariah, who had a lifetime dream come true. Day after day through many, many years he had watched each day as a fellow priest was chosen by lot to enter the first of the inner chambers of the temple proper, the Holy Place, to burn incense and offer prayers for himself and all his people. It was his division of priests?? turn to serve that day; and, lo and behold, the lot fell to him. So, there he stood highly privileged before the altar of incense that he had longed so often to see. As he does, we also need to recall that he and his aging wife, Elizabeth, were childless. 

Suddenly during the burning of incense and his offering of prayer on the right side of the altar of incense stood the angel Gabriel. Zechariah, sinful person that he was, was terrified. But Gabriel calmed his fears, saying, ?¨Don??t be afraid!?Æ The angel went on to say that Zechariah??s prayer had been heard and that he and his wife would have a son, even though Elizabeth was well past the age of child-bearing. Gabriel instructed him to name his son, ?¨John,?Æ which means, ?¨The LORD JAHWEH is gracious.?Æ In addition, John would be great in the sight of the Lord, filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. In fact, John would prepare God??s people for the coming of the promised Savior. He would resemble the great prophet Elijah in spirit and power by calling disobedient people to the wisdom of righteousness, bringing many souls back to the Lord their God. In other words, God was indeed about to act to keep His promise to come Himself to save His people from sin, death and hell. 

Reading on, Luke??s account takes a sad turn. Zechariah doubted that the Lord could actually fulfill His promise. So, he asked for a sign. The angel Gabriel responds with a verbal barb, reminding Zechariah who he is ?± he as a holy angel stands in the very presence of God. The Lord, who doesn??t lie or make false promises, sent him with this good news. For his unbelief Zechariah was struck speechless until baby John is born.

What can we learn from all this for our own earthly pilgrimage? Here the story takes an even sadder turn. If we look carefully at Zechariah??s responses and directly into his face, we will see the image of our own. Too many times we don??t take Jesus at His word. Like Zechariah we, too, look for tangible signs. Doubts and fears do assail us. Moreover, men and women and children of our times are known as the ?¨NOW generation.?Æ Patience, waiting for the Lord to act in His own time and way are not one of our strong points. As I look back over my own life, I must confess that in times of testing, I have often in effect lamented, ?¨Lord, didn??t I learn patience the last time? Do I have to learn it all over again??Æ 

All this is indicative of our sinful rebellious hearts. It??s not letting God be God, who certainly has the power to do whatever He promises, and who assuredly knows what??s best for us at any time in our life. For this our sinfulness, not only in the presence of God, but even before a holy angel, we like Zechariah should be justly terrified. We deserve not just to be made speechless like Zechariah, but to be cut off from God and His mercy forever. 

Thank God! Our merciful God is the same yesterday, today and forever! As He dealt with Zechariah, our Lord deals in the same manner with us today. He sends His messengers with His word of pardon, forgiveness and love. More importantly, He sent the Messenger, Jesus Christ, who comforts us, saying, ?¨Don??t be afraid!?Æ Even as our Savior hung on the cross in punishment for our sin, He sent this prayer message to His heavenly Father, ?¨Father, forgive them! For they don??t know what they do.?Æ And He died, cut off from His heavenly Father, to make that forgiveness possible by our holy and just God. Even now as our victorious Savior, sitting at the right hand of the Father in heaven, He is interceding for you and me. As through the ages our merciful God has had the last word over all things, so now at the present time and also in the days to come His message is that ultimately all things must work together for good for those of us who love God, who are called according to His purposes.

And wonder of wonders! Because Christ Jesus is faithful and never breaks His promises, that day will come when we hear the message from His own lips, ?¨Come you, blessed of My Father, receive the everlasting inheritance prepared for you from the foundation of the world.?Æ Lord, keep us in this saving faith. Amen.
To GOD alone all glory!

© Rev. Frederick A. Stiemke, Vacancy Pastor